


A Happy Tomorrow

by ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Angelo's family, Birthdays, Hurt/Comfort, Idk how to tag things, M/M, Second Citadel (Penumbra Podcast), Tumblr Prompts, sort of pre-relationship, the boys are soft that's all i've got, they're not defining it for now, uh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand/pseuds/ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand
Summary: Angelo's been very distracted on this patrol mission, and Marc's getting tired of it.
Relationships: Sir Angelo/Sir Marc (Penumbra Podcast)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	A Happy Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> written for the prompt ❛❛ Hey, hey, don’t cry. It’s okay. C’mon, come sit under the blanket with me. ❜❜ for @diosadelaquema on tumblr
> 
> title from "Lay Some Happiness on Me" by Kind of Like Spitting

There’s something wrong with Angelo. Marc doesn’t know what it is, but it’s _something_. They’ve been out on a mission for three days, and Angelo’s more restless than Marc has ever seen him. Angelo’s usually a little impulsive and brazen, but on this mission he’s been downright reckless, and it’s terrifying Marc. What was meant to be a routine patrol of the Citadel’s borders has turned into a bit of a nightmare as a result. Angelo keeps rushing off into the brush ahead of him (on foot, Angelo rarely rides on missions, prefers to run alongside Marc and Dampierre, keeps him from getting bored too easily) and Marc doesn’t like losing sight of him. Twice now Angelo has run off ahead and nearly missed a hunter’s trap that was buried in the underbrush. Marc’s not very good at spotting them either - he’d gotten so used to Talfryn spotting them long before he ever would that he sort of stopped looking - but that’s the whole _point_ of sticking together. If Angelo keeps running off ahead where Marc can’t see him, rushing on ahead without really _looking_ , he’s much more likely to miss traps, and Marc won’t be able to catch them, though the last one he almost stepped in was so obvious that even though Marc had fallen far behind he could see it poking out of the underbrush.

The third time it happens, Marc loses his patience. Angelo runs off ahead of him and manages to get so far ahead that Marc can’t even hear his heavy footsteps tromping ahead of him anymore. Marc swears under his breath and spurs Dampierre forward into a canter, hoping that Angelo hasn’t overlooked any traps in his rush, hoping that they don’t find out when Dampierre steps in one. He finally catches up to Angelo a minute or so later, and swings Dampierre around to cut off his path. Angelo stops short, nearly bumping into the side of Dampierre, and looks up to Marc, blinking like he’s coming out of a daze. Marc can’t help the bite in his tone as he snaps, “Alright, I’ve had enough, Big Guy. What is _wrong_ with you right now? This whole mission you’ve been avoiding me like the plague. What’s going on?”

Angelo shuffles a little nervously and doesn’t meet Marc’s gaze. Marc softens a little and hugs his arms across his chest. “Are you upset with me? Did I do something wrong?”

They’ve only just barely begun… Whatever they’re doing. Marc isn’t really sure what to call it yet - courting? They’ve kissed a few times, and it’s clear they both have feelings for each other, but neither of them have come right out and said that they’re in a relationship. Honestly, Marc had been hoping to talk about it on this patrol, and having Angelo avoid him so much, well. That doesn’t really bode well, does it?

Angelo’s gaze does flick up to him, then. “I… No, friend Sir Marc. You have done nothing wrong. My sincerest apologies if that is the impression I have given you. I did not- intend to worry you. I am simply- I have been preoccupied for the past few days, and it has gotten in the way of our mission. I apologize and I will not allow it to continue.”

Marc frowns. “I’m happy to hear that, Angie, but I’d still appreciate it if you would explain what’s going on. I guess- you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It’s your business, but. You’re my friend, and well- maybe not just that but- anyway the point is that I _care_ about you, Big Guy. If something’s wrong I want to talk to you about it, ok? I want you to _tell_ me. Maybe I can help! I _want_ to help.”

Angelo looks up at him with round eyes, and Marc sees some emotion there that he can’t quite glean. Angelo bites his lip in thought and lowers his gaze. “I- I’m not sure how to explain, Sir Marc.”

“Well, it’s getting dark anyway. Might as well set up camp and then you can talk over some food, ok?” Marc reaches down and squeezes Angelo’s shoulder, resisting the urge he has to brush his knuckles across Angelo’s cheek instead. “Help me down?”

They set up camp for the night, Angelo cooks and (for the first time this trip) doesn’t burn the bread he toasts in the pan. Marc doesn’t press him, and it isn’t until after they finish eating and are settling in for the night that Angelo speaks. “Sir Marc, I… Said I have been preoccupied on this particular patrol. I again apologize for my carelessness and any distress I may have caused you. I was not thinking properly, as a knight should. Duty above all else.”

Marc shrugs and chuckles a little. “I’m pretty new to how knights should think, Big Guy. I’m more worried about _you_. I just don’t want you to get hurt. We’re supposed to protect each other out here, and if you keep running off ahead of me I can’t look out for you, y’know? I’m just trying to keep you safe.”

Angelo’s been staring down into his lap, where his hands are clasped, and Marc has to clamp his hands in his own lap to keep himself from reaching out and taking Angelo’s hands, smoothing away the white knuckles with a brush of his thumb. Angelo takes a breath, and then another. “Sir Marc, tomorrow is… My birthday.”

Marc blinks. “Oh! Uh… Happy Birthday?”

He swears at himself internally, cursing himself for not being better at this. Not being better at comfort, at talking, at… Everything really. Is Angelo upset that he didn’t know about his birthday? Is that why he’s been so upset? Why he’s been avoiding having a conversation with Marc about… them?

Angelo smiles at him weakly. “I did not expect you to know, Friend Marc, I… I have. My own traditions for my birthday. I was reluctant to accept this patrol, but my Queen called me and a knight’s duty is to his queen, of course. Above all else. Of course.” Marc isn’t sure if Angelo’s saying that to convince _him_ or himself, and Angelo is blinking like he isn’t sure either. “But… I have always spent my birthday with my family. We celebrate birthdays for days, sometimes even a week! There are feasts and cakes and games and music and _dancing_. I suppose I had… Hoped… That we could make it back in time. If I moved fast enough through the patrol I could… I could make it home in time. To spend my birthday with my family. I’ve never… I’ve never spent my birthday without them and, well. I… I don’t _want_ to.”

Marc makes a sympathetic noise, not really sure how to vocalize the feeling that’s sitting just behind his ribs. Being away from your family is something that’s new to him, too. Up until a few weeks ago, he’d never gone longer than a day or two without Talfryn, or his mother, or Rilla. But since Talfryn decided he didn’t want to be a knight anymore, and he _became_ a knight, he’s been going on missions alone, or with one of the other knights, like Angelo or Damien. He can’t pretend he doesn’t miss Talfryn, but there’s also been this feeling of freedom that surprised him. It’s been… _interesting_ at the very least, to discover who he is when he isn’t with Talfryn all the time. He loves his family more than anything, but there are other things that he loves, too. Talfryn never held him back, but… He thinks they were both stuck in a way that neither of them realized, when they were both hunting monsters. Neither of them were really… Happy? At least not as happy as they could be. But now, they get to do their own things, and still spend time with each other. Still be _family_ , without needing each other around all the time. It’s been… Nice. To have something that’s just his, and to let Talfryn have his own thing, too.

He realizes he’s been silent for too long when Angelo starts, coming back to himself with a shake of his head and a panicked, “Not that. Not that I don’t want to spend my birthday with _you_ , Friend Marc. That is- I didn’t mean- I”

Marc _does_ reach out then, grabbing one of Angelo’s hands in his own to quiet him. “I know, Angie, I know. It’s ok to want to spend your birthday with your family. You love them. It’s alright to miss them, and I’m sorry you won’t be able to spend tomorrow with them.”

Angelo is staring at Marc’s hand gripping his own, and Marc continues gently, “Is there uh, anything we _can_ do tomorrow? To… To make you feel like you’re home? You said your family makes you a big feast, right? I’m sort of terrible at cooking but I could… Try? To make you dinner? I know you’ve got spices and stuff and-“

He breaks off as Angelo makes a choked noise, and Marc looks up from their hands to see tears dripping down Angelo’s cheeks. “Oh, Angie. Hey, hey don’t cry. It’s ok. C’mon, come sit under the blanket with me.”

Marc opens an arm and Angelo bites his lip to keep from sobbing, scooting across the ground and into Marc’s arms. Marc wraps the blanket around his shoulder and pulls him in closer. They sit together and Marc just holds him for a little while, one arm hooked around his waist, the other resting on Angelo’s leg, one thumb stroking gently over his knee. “I’m sorry, Big Guy, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Angelo nuzzles into his shoulder, and Marc holds him a little tighter. “Friend Marc I- thank you. I will… Manage tomorrow. Delaying my birthday for one day will not be so bad, for I am still spending it with _you_. You do not have to do anything for me.”

Marc tilts his head so it rests in the soft pillow of Angelo’s hair. He knows he doesn’t have to, but he’ll plan out something special anyway. On their patrol earlier today he’d noticed a patch of wildflowers - bluebells and daisies and dandelions and poppies - he’ll wake up early tomorrow and sneak off to pick a bouquet for Angelo. Surprise him when he wakes up. Maybe see if he can sneak some eggs out of the satchel by Angelo’s bedroll, to try and make him breakfast. He might not have a present for Angelo, and he might not be family, but he can do _something_ , and if it makes Angelo smile, makes him happy even for a moment, then it will have been worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm @shorter-than-her-tbr-pile on tumblr!


End file.
